Embodiments of the present invention relate generally to a pickup apparatus that independently detects the vibrations of a plurality of strings in a stringed instrument, a stringed instrument utilizing such a pickup apparatus and a method of arranging pickups on a stringed instrument.
For some time, pickup apparatuses that are used in guitar synthesizers have been formed such that the vibrations of each of the strings of the electric guitar are independently detected. FIG. 4 is a drawing that shows a portion of an electric guitar 100 on which a pickup apparatus 50 for a guitar synthesizer has been mounted.
As shown in FIG. 4, the pickup apparatus 50 has six pickups 21 (21a-21f) and is arranged with each of the pickups 21a-21f corresponding to each of the six strings 108 (108a-108f) positioned on the electric guitar body 104 facing the strings.
The pickup apparatus 50 can be affixed to the body 104 using double-sided tape, but may also be anchored to the body 104 via the screw holes 49 on both ends of the pickup apparatus 50 or some other means. The electrical signal detected by each of the pickups 21 is fed to the control apparatus 120 via a cable 106 and transmitted to the guitar synthesizer via another cable 125 connected to the control apparatus 120.
The pickup apparatus 60 is affixed by the manufacturer and placed on the electric guitar 100. The pickup apparatus 60 is formed with a coil that is common to all six strings. The electrical signal detected by the pickup apparatus 60 is output from the output jack 112 on the body 104.
One end of the six strings is anchored to the bridge 110. The bridge 110 is structured so as to pivot with a shaft (not shown in the drawings) as the center. In a state in which the tremolo arm 111 is not operated, the bridge is thrust in the direction in which the strings are stretched by a spring (not shown in the drawings). When the tremolo arm 111 is operated so as to be brought near the body 104, the bridge pivots with the shaft as the center against the tension of the spring, hence the tension applied to the strings becomes weaker and the vibration frequency of the strings becomes lower. Accordingly, it is possible to raise or lower the pitch by operating the tremolo arm 111.
The pickup apparatus 50 is mounted in the space between the pickup apparatus 60 and the bridge 110. In addition, the output jack 112 of the electric guitar 100 is connected to the control apparatus 120 via a cable 114. Another cable 125 outputs the electrical signal from the pickup apparatus 50 and an electrical signal that has either been synthesized or switched by the control apparatus 120.
Next, an explanation will be give regarding the pickup 21 while referring to FIG. 5. FIG. 5(a) is an oblique external view of the pickup 21, and FIG. 5(b) is an oblique exploded view of the pickup 21. This pickup 21 is known as a humbucking type that comprises a pole piece 31 formed from a permanent magnet that has the N pole facing the string, a pole piece 32 formed from a permanent magnet that has the S pole facing the string, a coil 35 which surrounds the periphery of the pole piece 31, a coil 36 which surrounds the periphery of the pole piece 32, and a permanent magnet 33 that links the pole pieces 31 and 32. The pole pieces 31 and 32 are positioned facing each other.
The coils 35 and 36 are wound in mutually opposite directions such that their phases are inverse to each other, and they are connected in series. As a result, when the string vibrates, an electromotive force is produced and the external inducement noise is denied.